


By any other name

by Alessariel



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst, M/M, One Shot, Short Story, drabble-ish, squint-and-you-miss-it sex scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-07
Updated: 2014-03-07
Packaged: 2018-01-14 22:27:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1281061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alessariel/pseuds/Alessariel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's power in a name.</p>
            </blockquote>





	By any other name

**Author's Note:**

> Very loosely inspired by reading Astolat’s ‘Beltane’ cycle.

"Arthur" is magic.

Merlin has learned long ago that there’s power in names, back when he first learned to use spoken words for spells instead of relying on instinct.

With spells, it’s all about the inflection, the rise and fall of the voice, tiniest nuances in pronunciation. 

***

Merlin first notices it almost a year after he’d come to Camelot, on a hot calm early summer day when he sees Arthur on the training grounds and calls out to him and suddenly there’s an unnatural breeze ruffling the trees, making late apple blossoms and leaves spiral down to land in Arthur’s sunkissed hair.

***

It happens occasionally after that, though Merlin can never quiete work out why sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn’t. It has something to do with how he says Arthur’s name, he’s sure of that, but no matter how many hours he spends in his room mumbling, muttering, hissing, yelling, shrieking and finally cussing that name, it never does anything. Only when he’s really calling for Arthur, and most of the time not even then.

***

Merlin sees the shadow behind Arthur, sees the blade glinting and descending while the prince is facing the other way, fighting two more men and he calls out, without thinking, “Arthur!” and suddenly a gale sweeps in and knocks the assailant off his feet. Arthur never even notices.

***

Merlin feels the chains bite into his flesh, feels the hands of the guards holding him, dragging him to the pyre. He sees Uther up on the parapet, staring coldly. They lash him to the stake and suddenly there’s a commotion. Uther makes a gesture, a final one, and the executioner steps closer, the torch touching the dry wood. 

People are screaming and there’s the clear ringing of blade on blade and the sun glinting on armour. A flash of a red cape, golden hair, and Merlin knows with certainty, even as the smoke starts choking him, that Arthur is coming for him, is defying his father, for his traitor manservant. There’s a gap in the crowd as people start to run and Merlin can see Arthur clearly through the flames leaping up, see the desperation in his eyes, the rage and grief on his features. He draws breathe, ignoring the smoke and white hot air and somehow manages to croak the name, “Arthur…!”. 

Suddenly a whirlwind descends, extinguishing the flames, tearing at Merlin’s bonds and taking him, carrying him away, to safety. The last thing he sees is Arthur’s face, relief prominent on it, mouth open in a soundless promise.

***

It takes two fortnights for Arthur to catch up with Merlin and when they are finally face to face, there’s nothing to be said, they’ve been beyond words from the very start. The kiss is natural, inevitable, a meeting exactly halfway the distance between them, because in their relationship they’ve both always given as good as they’ve gotten. 

That night, under a starry sky, Merlin gives and receives and they roll in the green grass of summer, and merge into one, push and pull, thrust and trust and on the very height of it, Merlin can’t keep it inside anymore.

"Arthur." he sighs into his prince’s, his king’s mouth, all of his feelings contained in one single word. Longing, hope, trust, pride and love. The night breeze rises up with them, whispering of the future and destinies entwined, and Merlin can feel the winds of change pour forth from where they have tumbled and sweep across the land, leaving not a soul untouched.

Arthur is magic.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[Podfic] By Any Other Name](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4296519) by [JessicaMDawn Reads (JessicaMDawn)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JessicaMDawn/pseuds/JessicaMDawn%20Reads)




End file.
